Friday, July 30, 1999 Published at 07:29 GMT 08:29 UKHasselbaink demands transferHasselbaink has refused to sign a new contract with LeedsDutch striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has asked to be put on the transfer list by Leeds United.

The highly-rated forward wants to leave Elland Road, despite being offered "the biggest contract in the club's history", according to manager David O'Leary.

Leeds have already turned down two big-money offers for Hasselbaink from Spanish side Atletico Madrid - the second believed to be around £10m.

O'Leary was confident the player would want to stay with the Yorkshire club - but it now seems he is determined to leave.

"Jimmy has handed in a transfer request this morning and the board are considering it," O'Leary said.

"What he is looking for I don't think any club in the country could afford and I don't think there is anyone on that kind of money over here (in England)."

And he added: "What happens next is up to the board."

"I've had loads of offers for my players this summer. Atletico Madrid offered us £10m for Hasselbaink."

Chairman Peter Ridsdale had been adamant that Hasselbaink would not be sold.

"Our aim is to build a winning side," he said earlier this week. "We have backed the manager throughout the summer and we have not spent £15m just to go and sell our top scorer from the past two years."

Hasselbaink, who cost £2m from Boavista two summers ago, was offered the lucrative new contract even though he has two years to run on his current deal.

Bridges confident

Meanwhile, Leeds' record signing Michael Bridges has handed out a title warning to the Premiership's big guns.

Michael Bridges: A £5m summer arrival from Sunderland

Bridges has barely been at Elland Road a week following his £5m move from Sunderland last Friday and has only spent two hours on the pitch in the last few days.

The 20-year-old striker said: "When I first arrived at the club they were telling me what they were going to achieve, and I believe them. It looks like they are going to achieve a hell of a lot.

"We're not going to jump the gun and say we're going to win the title and all
the rest of it.

"But we finished in the top four last season, and after the way we've played this pre-season I don't see any reason why we can't be up there with the big guns again.